Lester traxler



L.` V TRAXLER Safetyridge for Railroad Cars.

Patented July 2, 1867.

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mLHoGmPNER, WASHIGTON D c @uiten gisten atrnt @Hire IMPROVED SAFETY-.BRIDGE POR RAILROAD CARS.

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TO yALL WHOM Il" MAY VCOOERN:

Beit known that I, 4LESTER TRAXLER, of Butler, in the county ot' Richland, and State of Ohio, have invented, a new and useful Improvement in RailroadAOar Safety-Bridge; and l do hereby declare that the following isafull, clear, and exact description' thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partl of this specification.

This invention relates to the manner in which a safe and commodious passage-way'is formed from one railroad carto another; and it'consists in a bridge composed of two leaves or wings, one of which is attached to the plat` form of eaehc'ar by a hinge, so that they can be folded over cach other; and also in the manner in. which the leaves are supported' and adjusted, as I will proceed to describe. I

Figure 1 represents the bridge as connecting the platforms of two railroad cars,it being aplan or top view.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same, showing the manner in which the leaves are folded-or lapped over each other, and the construction of the hinges by which they'are attached to the platforms, also the-manner in which they are supported and adjusted to theproper height- Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents the platforms of two railroad cars. B represents the leaves o r wings which form. the bridge. These leaves are attached to bars which extend beyond the leaves and form journals or pivots, upon which they turn, as seen at a. On the ends of these journals there are collars, as Yseen at c. The boxes in which these journals turn are marked D, and are attached to the platform. These bearings for the journals a are only half boxes, and on the outside of each there is arrecess for the collar c, as seen in the-drawing. The opening into this recess is less iu width than the diameter of the collar e, but it will be noticed in tig. 2 that a. portion of the collar is taken oft', sothat when the leaf` 1s held in an inclined position the collarl will enter the recess, but when it is dropped down, as represented in the drawing, it cannot be raised out of its recess. The device is important, as it prevents the leaves from being displaced by the jarring` or motion of the cars. E represents a block of metal which is'hung to the front of one of the platforms in the same manner that the leaves are, ,or so that it is easily detached and changed to any other car or to the other end of the same car. F is an adjustingfscrew which enters the block E and extends up suiliciently far to allow one of the leaves to rest upon its head, as seen in fig. 2. G represents the car-coupling-link. j

When the cars'of di'erentheight are coupled together the screw is adjusted so as to allow one ot' the leaves to be properly inclined, and then the other leaf is folded ou to it, as seen in the drawing. The boxes D are attached to each end of all the cars, and the leaves B and the adjusting-block and screw E F are attached or detached, as circumstances may require. It will be seen that by this arrangement a safe passage-way is'madefrom one ear to another, which cannot be disturbed or disarranged by the motion of the cars.

What I claim asuew, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

Forming a passage-way between the cars of a train'by means ofthe wings B, boxes D, and adjusting-block and screw E F, the parts constructed and arranged substantially as herein shown and described for the purpose set forth.

LESTER '.rnAxLnR.-

Ili'ituesses: WlLLIAM A. TRAXLER, Taos. B. ANDREWS. 

